PEARL CITY, Oʻahu — At its monthly meeting held this week at Leeward Community College, the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents (BOR) approved the system level reorganization of the community colleges and the creation of a new Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges, which includes the establishment of the new executive class, Vice President for Community Colleges.

The office will be responsible for executive leadership, policy decision-making, resource allocation, and development of appropriate support services for the university‘s seven community colleges.

Based on discussions with the community college chancellors, All Campus Council of Faculty Senate Chairs, and other groups, the reorganization is designed to improve 1) performance in light of accreditation standards for both the system and the community college campuses, 2) the coherence in the conduct of activities, such as program review, that may lead to resource allocation decisions, and 3) the advocacy for the community colleges as a group.

The community college chancellors will report to the new Vice President for Community Colleges for leadership and coordination of community college matters, and concurrently report to the President for university system-wide policy making and decisions impacting the campuses.

In other action, the BOR approved space designations and gift levels proposed for donor recognition naming opportunities within the new John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) and Palikū Theatre at Windward Community College.

The approvals will enable JABSOM, in conjunction with the UH Foundation, to provide a donor recognition program on campus that further supports efforts to raise the size and quantity of private gifts for the benefit of JABSOM‘s educational programs.

At Windward CC, the approval will enable officials to plan and implement a systematic, comprehensive, and meaningful donor recognition program that encourages donors to support the Palikū Theatre through an endowed fund that was established at the UH Foundation in May 2004 to support theatre operations funding in perpetuity.

In addition, the BOR authorized Hawaiʻi Community College to initiate a Request for Qualifications (RFQ)/Request for Proposals (RFP) process for a public/private partnership for the development and long-term management of new facilities for the new Hawaiʻi CC Komohana campus in Hilo and a new West Hawaiʻi Center in Kona.

The proposed site for the Komohana campus is a 122-acre parcel owned by UH that is situated in the southwest corner of a larger 267-acre parcel overlooking Hilo that is owned by the university. The proposed site for the West Hawaiʻi Center is a 500-acre parcel owned by the university that is situated above Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway and is bounded by Waena Drive, Kaimi Nani Drive and the Kona Palisades subdivision.

Also at this week‘s meeting, UH BOR Chair Patricia Lee and Regent Trent Kakuda were honored and recognized for their service on the board as they concluded their terms as regents.

"On behalf of the administration, I‘d like to thank Regents Lee and Kakuda for their service to the university and for their support of the administration‘s efforts," said UH Interim President David McClain. "They both served with integrity and dedication, always keeping in mind what was best for the students, staff, faculty, and the institution at large. We are all grateful for their efforts and support."